Innholdsfortegnelse for July- August 2016 i Bicycling South Africa

THE VOICE OF MTB I have always pursued fitness, and did triathlon and league cycling in the 80s. Because I lived in Woodstock in Cape Town, Table Mountain loomed over us permanently. So when the first mountain bikes appeared on it, naturally I wanted to explore its magical slopes too. That was it for me. Now I ride the mountain almost daily, and represent Freewheel Cycology at races, when I’m not on the mic like I was at the 2016 Absa Cape Epic (pictured) . I never get tired of this wonderful sport and seeing this incredible country – from the saddle, or through my commentating. PAUL VALSTAR, 60 / RACE COMMENTATOR…

“Heavy leg-strength training will improve speed and endurance...” If you have a regular routine, it can be easy for your fitness progress to stagnate. This is what we call a plateau, and usually it goes unnoticed in between all the fun you’re having on the bike – until one day, at a race, you realise you haven’t got any better. To break or avoid this problem, follow these three easy steps. SHORT HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVALS If you aren’t already doing intervals, then start. If you are, and it’s something like hill repeats, then change it up for short, higher-intensity intervals. Short intervals are hard efforts lasting around 30 seconds. As they are so short, you’ll have the capacity to perform them at a higher intensity than longer intervals. These intervals are…

Cycling coach Andy Applegate of Carmichael Training Systems suggests doing one of the workouts below, twice a week; choose another for a third hard day. After three weeks, try one of the more challenging variations. Allow one day of rest, cross-training, or easy riding between sessions. Spin easy for 10 to 15 minutes before each workout. Finish the session with a 10-minute cooldown. SPEED INTERVALS Improve power and speed, and help you recover from repeated hard efforts. • Do four one-minute fast-pedal intervals: Use an easy gear, and as high a cadence as possible. Keep your rate of perceived exertion (RPE) low: 5 out of 10. Recover for two minutes between efforts. • Pedal five minutes easy. • Do 10 to 12 intervals of 30 seconds on/30 seconds off. The…

PREP YOUR BIKE If it’s raining, lower your tyre pressure. That’s the first piece of advice coaches Brandon Davis and Sean Kelly offer when it comes to rainy descents on the road. Go as low as you can: for a standard 700x25 tyre, Davis suggests running your weight plus 10psi. So if you’re 70kg, run no fewer than 80psi. SCRUB SPEED EARLY If there’s a corner coming up, start scrubbing your speed earlier than normal. “It takes a second or two longer for your brake pads to engage and slow you down,” says Kelly. DON’T BRAKE IN THE CORNER If you scrubbed your speed correctly, this cycling tip is a no-brainer, “On dry roads, you can feather the brakes a little, but in the wet, that can cause your wheels…

As a teenager living in Somerset West, Gareth Wright was fascinated by his neighbour Brian Hudson’s tiny little bicycle. After showing a keen interest, Wright unexpectedly inherited the then-43-year-old Tresoldi & Casiraghi Pocket Bici from Hudson, who emigrated to Australia in 2006. Ten years later, Wright still rides his favourite bike around the neighbourhood. PARTS The Pocket Bici has an eclectic array of static and moving parts. An intricate gearing system allows the rear end to pivot, using two sets of interconnected cogs and chains. Interestingly, the pivoting axle has a spring-loaded chain tensioner helping to keep the chain running taut and straight. The brakes are the usual cable-activated rim type; unsurprisingly, they hardly work at all. Wright’s bike still has the original bell and mudguards, but has lost its…

BE IN THE (RIGHT) ZONE A moderate tempo pace is most conducive to flow. That’s about 6 to 8 on a 1-to-10 scale of rate of perceived exertion. You should get home and think, That was a nice hard ride , rather than, I’m completely wrecked. HIT A SWOOPY TRAIL Flow mountain bike trails feature frequent turns and undulations, jumps, and drops: a constant barrage of stimuli that turns off the frontal lobe and allows you to be fully in the moment. CHASE! Following someone who’s just a little better than you can be a powerful trigger – everything comes at you faster. It should be just fast enough for you to ask yourself: Can I do this at that speed? ROLL WITH…

The 2015 champion is a firm favourite, given his strong team and all-round ability. With the climbing on this route, Froome will try to use the same strategy he used last year: get an early hand on the Yellow, and then defend it. The lack of a team time trial could work against him this year – but seeing as he’s going for Olympic gold in both the road race and time trial, this would be the perfect place to hone his individual time-trialling skills. JERSEY CONTENTION Yellow, Polka Dot…

Masqueraders J Tour de France fandom is populated largely by a cast of costumed characters including, but not limited to, angels, cave people, unicorns, bananas, superheroes, Smurfs, a virtual ark of animal species, and of course, the infamous Devil himself. As a Masquerader, you are restricted only by your creativity and budget. Runners J Usually found in the mountains, Runners try to match riders stride for pedal stroke, shouting encouragement as long as their legs and lungs will allow. You’ll need good tackies and a thick skin Artists J For some, the route becomes a canvas upon which to create a visual masterpiece – banners, bicycle sculptures, even performance pieces. You are free to experiment; just make sure your contribution is big enough to be caught by the helicam.…

FITTED WITH RUBBER LEVELLING FEET THAT HELP TO KEEP THE TRAINER STEADY - AS WELL AS DISSIPATING VIBRATION WHEN YOU'RE GIVING IT YOUR ALL. 1 Giant Cyclotron Mag Trainer PRICE R2 299 GIANT-BICYCLES.COM If you’re looking for an indoor trainer that’s light on the pocket but still offers you the chance to ‘ride’ when the weather closes in, look no further than Giant’s Cyclotron Mag Trainer. The sturdy A-frame, made from heavy-duty steel, is fitted with rubber levelling feet that help to keep the trainer steady – as well as dissipating vibration when you’re giving it your all. The Cyclotron Mag Trainer is compatible with 24”, 26”, 27” and 700C wheels/tyres. A quick-release skewer is supplied, ruling out any compatibility issues. To fit your bike, simply swop out the rear…

Fizik M6B PRICE R2 350 WEIGHT: 426G (SIZE UK8) SUPPLIER NSQUARED.CO.ZA WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW > A sleek Italian design with red trimming immediately gives the M6B the feel of a far more expensive shoe > Fiziks are generally a narrow fit – the M6B is no different > Tough, durable material used on the upper in high-wear areas, like the toe box and side flanks > Pulling the BOA up releases the wire’s tension, making entry and exit quick and convenient. Olympic Tread WEIGHT: 430G (SIZE UK8) PRICE: R1 499 SUPPLIER: OLYMPIC-SPORT.CO.ZA WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW > The Tread’s upper is made from mesh and moulded Ginia-Tech KPU for a seamless look > We found the Tread to be highly breathable > The ATOP dial is somewhat…

STRAVA FILES CHARLES KEEY/30 FORMER PRO, 2ND PLACE IN THE AFRICAN JERSEY AT THE 2013 CAPE EPIC, UNAPOLOGETIC KOM-HUNTER. FEATURED RIDE MORNING RIDE – KENILWORTH TO CBD, CAPE TOWN ‘Charlie Boy’ Keey starts in the leafy ’burb of Kenilworth, and makes his way to Main Rd. He hits a punchy section on Aliwal Rd that takes him through Wynberg and to Constantia Main Rd. The stay on Constantia Main is short, as he turns off for Brommersvlei Rd and the first big climb, up Southern Cross Drive. Here he takes on 5km-worth of Strava segments, ranging in gradient from 3% (Southern Cross Drive Interval, 0.9km, 27m) to 26% (Southern Cross Drive Climb 0.3km, 86m). He then makes a big drop on Constantia Neck To Victoria Road Descent (5.4km, 209m, -4%),…

REDUCING JET LAG • Try to adapt to your destination’s time zone beforehand, by going to bed earlier or later depending on the direction of travel. • Break the journey into segments, staying overnight at one (intermediate) destination. • Exposure to sunlight will accelerate your adjustment to the new time zone. • A short training session on arrival could be useful, and may improve sleep. • Avoid naps during the day. • Sleeping tablets and melatonin therapy may also help you adjust to the new time zone.…

FROM KATE SLEGROVA, CYCLING COACH AND INDOOR STUDIO OWNER • To get the right saddle height: Position your saddle at hip-bone height, and handlebars at the same level or lower. • Hydration: Water is fine if you’re doing a 60- to 90-minute class. If you push hard and don’t have a lot of carbohydrates in your diet, you’ll need a bit of extra carbs, e.g. an energy drink or half water/half apple juice. • Clothing: Full cycling kit, or just chamois and T-shirt – whatever rocks your boat! Some guys come in their full Rapha cycling kit, and some in shorts and a tee. I go with padded cycling shorts, but no cycling bibs over your T-shirt! • If you train on a Wattbike or use a power meter, it’s good to…

With global demand outstripping supply, SRAM’s recently released and highly anticipated wireless – yes, wireless – RED eTap groupsets are proving hard to come by on local shores. Bearing this in mind, it was a surprise to find a prototype SwiftCarbon road bike kitted out with the drool-worthy electronic shifting system, in Swift’s Cape Town showroom. Despite the frame being an unrideable sample, we were able to get on the bike (gingerly) and run through the gears to get a very basic feel of shifting performance. Surprisingly, you shift down the cassette with the left shifter, and up with the right. To shift the front derailleur up or down, you press both the left and the right lever simultaneously! It would take a few rides to get accustomed to this…

Climb Like a Champ! Get Faster! Attack & Break Away! Ride Over Rocks! Become a Technical Whiz! Suffer Like A Pro! EVERY FOUR YEARS WE FORGET ABOUT HUMANITY AT ITS WORST (BOMBS, WARS AND HATE), AND THINK ABOUT HUMANITY AT ITS BEST – SUPER-ATHLETES, PUSHING THEIR LIMITS. WE WATCH THE OLYMPICS, WOWED BY THE SENSE OF OCCASION. AS CHILDREN, WE DREAM OF REPRESENTING SOUTH AFRICA ON THE WORLD’S GREATEST SPORTING STAGE. UNFORTUNATELY, FOR MOST, LIFE AND – LET’S FACE IT – LACK OF TALENT GET IN THE WAY. BUT A SELECT GROUP OF ELITE ATHLETES HAVEN’T STOPPED DREAMING. SEVEN OLYMPIAN HOPEFULS GIVE US A CYCLING MASTERCLASS. “BETTER BIKE-HANDLING SKILLS MAKE YOU MORE EFFICIENT... THUS WASTING LESS ENERGY.” PHIL BUYS MASTER THE SKILLS Career highlights: London Olympian, multiple African…

The nearly-man of the Tour de France, in 2015 Quintana finished second on the GC for the second time in his career. He’s still young; and after winning the white jersey in 2015 (to go with his polka dot from the 2013 Tour), you could bet on him winning the Tour de France eventually – but it may not be this year. Although if he can stick with the other contenders until he hits the Pyrenees, a move in one of the mountain stages could put the Colombian in a comfortable position. JERSEY CONTENTION Polka Dot, Yellow…

Since winning the event in 2014, Nibali has had a tough time. After his team was hit with multiple doping accusations, he was also disqualified from the 2015 Vuelta a España for holding on to a team car while trying to catch up to the peloton after a crash. But he’s put that behind him, with an early-season win at the Tour of Oman and the Pink Jersey at the Giro d’Italia. His all-round skills are his best asset, and suit the route well. All he needs is to stay clean and off the tarmac, and he’ll be right up there. If he isn’t riding in support of Fabian Aru. JERSEY CONTENTION Yellow…

Every year, the Tour de France – which covers some 3 000km – attracts millions of TV viewers worldwide. Some of those promoting the event describe it as the most popular sports event ever, even more popular than the Soccer World Cup. So, how did this amazingly popular ultra-endurance test originate? In 1903, the sport newspaper L’Auto – faced with low circulation figures, and negligible profits – decided to sponsor a round-France race that would be the world’s toughest sporting event. It must be remembered that in the early 1900s, virtually all French roads were gravel, and were often rutted, muddy and almost impassable after rain; while in the major towns, the streets were cobbled, and extremely difficult to ride a bicycle on. There were no tar roads at…

A few years ago, the trend among helmet designers was to find the most aerodynamically efficient design possible. Unfortunately, in their quest to rule the wind tunnel, aero helmets’ slippery designs generally compromised on weight, airflow, and – most severely – on aesthetics. Over the past few months Bicycling’s been riding Giro’s range-topping Synthe and Specialized’s recently-released mid-range Airnet, which represent a new generation of good-looking aero helmets – and we’ve found they tick all the right boxes. Giro Synthe Giro named this helmet the Synthe because they believe it’s the perfect synthesis between the four key elements of a helmet: at 208g for our small test lid, it’s super-low-weight; an array of 26 vents and internal channelling provide plenty of ventilation; a Roc Loc Air retention system ensures a…

“To be fair, the ‘technical stuff’ amounted to anything that wasn’t tar…” MY 75-YEAR-OLD FATHER RECENTLY INVESTED IN A FULL-SUSPENSION, 29ER CANNONDALE RUSH. It took a while to convince him to sell his old 26er and upgrade. When I hinted at the cost, I was met with the same incredulous look he used to give me back in my schooldays, when I presented my report card. “You can’t be serious…” he mumbled; and suggested that there was little need for an upgrade, because he was only riding for some light exercise. However, light exercise turned into more regular exercise; and suddenly, he was gallivanting around the trails of Summerveld in KZN with his fellow pensioners, and complaining that he was battling on the ‘technical stuff’. To be fair, the ‘technical…

SWEET POTATO FLAPJACKS MAKES FIVE 10CM 'JACKS INGREDIENTS 1 sweet potato (about 350g] 3 large eggs ½ tsp cinnamon tsp nutmeg pinch salt 1 tsp coconut all or butter PREPARATION 1. Prick sweet potato with fork, then microwave on high for about 7 minutes or until tender. Let cool, then remove and discard the skin. 2. Mash sweet potato, then mix in eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, until smooth. 3. Melt oil or butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Cook ' -cup dollops of batter until golden and set. Gently flip and repeat. HAKE IT SAVOURY Instead of cinnamon, add garam masala, rosemary, or garlic. Or top flapjacks with caramelised onions, lean mince, r cheese. NUTRITION INFO Per flapjack: 351kj, 9g fat [2g saturated), 5g protein, 8g carbs,…

ADDED VALUE One added benefit of the 12-week periodisation training plan is that it only requires you to schedule commitments for HIIT sessions every fourth week; the other three weeks can be flexible. For those doing strength training, it also means that for three weeks, muscle fatigue from that strength training is less likely to compromise your HIIT. Just back off on your leg-strength training for the week with five HIIT sessions.…

WARM-UP • Five minutes easy effort with cadence 85-90, followed by 2 x one minute fast cadence at 95-110. • Stretching: Best done at the end of a workout. Static stretching for each muscle group, and hold for 20-30 seconds. Don’t forget to stretch your gluteus (butt muscle). ENDURANCE • 90 minutes to three hours of easy effort (zone 2 and low zone 3) in the morning, after a cup of black coffee and no breakfast. • This simulates a long ride, and your body learns to take energy from your fat reserves. SPEED Slegrova’s favourite is currently two or three sets of 40/20. • After a warm-up, perform 40 seconds at max effort with fast-cadence (above 100) sprint, and rest 20 seconds with easy pedalling. • Do six of…

AS I WRITE THIS COLUMN, I’M ANGRY AND CONFUSED. Angry with the athletes who choose to dope, and confused as to why the public carries on embracing them, choosing to believe their excuses. In my opinion, a doper is the same as a common street criminal. They steal from other athletes, they steal their prize money when they cheat at events, they steal marketing and branding opportunities, they steal the public’s support, and they steal sponsors. Most importantly, they give our special sport a bad name. What’s worse is that when they’re caught, they hardly ever own up to their mistakes – and each one has a more ridiculous excuse than the next. Then, after waiting out their ban, they return to this beautiful sport and want forgiveness. I’m all…

1/ Measure how much you’ll need, leaving enough space to create a flap at the top. 2/ Cut what you’re going to use, and fold it over so one side is slightly longer (that’s the flap). 3/ Sew up the sides of the tube with the inside facing out. 4/ Then turn it right-side out, and you have a ride wallet. – Polly Hairford VIEW THE WALLET GALLERY AT 120PSI.COM FOR KICKASS TUBE WALLETS Key Hole To prevent the Allen-key heads of your cleats getting clogged with mud, fill them with silicone. When resetting the cleats, simply remove the silicone filling with a pair of pointed pliers, and you can loosen your cleats. – Clive Dale And… Presta! Your presta valve caps can act as a makeshift Schrader adaptor.…

It’s July… and that means it’s Tour de France time. The 103rd edition of Le Tour begins on 2 July, finishes on 24 July, and makes its way to the Champs Élysées via Spain, Andorra and Switzerland. The tour follows the Swiss Alps this year, meaning Alpe d’Huez is out; however, the infamous Mont Blanc is in. Riders will also experience the Spanish Pyrenees during stage 9 – but not before taking on the French Pyrenees at stage 8, with the legendary Col du Tourmalet laying in wait. There are two individual time trials, the second of which – on stage 18 – will be interesting, as it’s entirely uphill. Time bonuses are also back, and will be awarded at 10, six and four seconds for the first three finishers…

El Pistolero hasn’t won the Tour de France in four years now, and is surely hungry to prove his doubters wrong. He planned to retire at the end of this cycling season, but seemed to find his mojo again after a victory at the Tour of the Basque Country, where he announced that he’ll be putting off retirement for at least another year. His all-round skills will serve him well, he’s pretty strong on time trials; and with the uphill time trial on Stage 18, he could build a sizeable advantage going into the final two Alpine stages… if he’s already in Yellow. JERSEY CONTENTION Yellow, Polka Dot…

Sagan has developed a bit of a rock star personality, and is worth watching just for the antics he pulls. He’s also a serial winner of the Green Jersey, so you wouldn’t bet against him doing it again in 2016. He’s strong on the final sprints, but also races smart, using his classic racing skills to go early and take many of the intermediate sprints. It will be interesting to see if he can pull this off during the nine climbing stages. JERSEY CONTENTION Green…

A few years ago, I was doing a particularly uncomfortable ride in Southern France. It was a long, hot, hilly day, and I desperately needed to pee. Despite there being a large peloton to follow, I wasn’t totally sure of the direction we were about to head: down into the valley, or up into the hills? I wanted to make sure I relieved myself before the climbs; so, using one of the handy phrases I’d picked up from riding among the French, I asked a rider close to me if we were going straight on, by saying, “Tout à droite?” He looked at me, slightly put out, and flatly replied, “Non,” in a tone and posture that let me know this was clearly more of a dismissal of me and…

“ ENGINEERS SHAVED THE GRAMS OFF BY NARROWING THE STANCE (OR WIDTH) OF THE FORK BY 10MM, AND ADDING A ‘STEP’” NARROWER = LIGHTER Saving weight without compromising performance or stiffness was the primary goal Fox set themselves when revamping the 32 fork for 2017. Engineers shaved the grams off by narrowing the stance (or width) of the fork by 10mm, and adding a ‘step’ (hence the ‘SC’, for ‘Step-Cast’) to the lower legs to accommodate the spokes and brake rotor. While the step does give the fork a distinctive look, it is performance-driven. FOR THE RACING SNAKES Offering 100mm of travel, the 32 SC is aimed squarely at the XC/marathon market. With this in mind, Bicycling fitted it to a SwiftCarbon D-Vore hardtail. We found performance to be smooth…

VALUE FOR MTB Year on year, this event strives to provide the best-value MTB experience for all ages and genders. Situated snugly between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, it boasts four different routes, with the 60km and 40km featuring stiff climbs accompanied by flowing technical singletrack. The 18km is popular with families, and the 10km route – actually two loops of a 5km track – is a great opportunity for the kids to test their skills. 7 AUGUST, 60KM, 40KM, 18KM, 10KM, ESTON FARMERS CLUB, ESTON KWAZULU-NATAL MTB 2-3 JULY PEHR BURRY STANDER SARDINE MTB CLASSIC 40km, 20km, 10km Port Edward Holiday Resort Contact Natalie Abbott info@clearwatertrails.co.za, 083 549 6710, 039 311 1130 Web and Online Entries clearwatertrails.co.za 9 JULY GIBA GRAVITY ENDURO Giba Gorge MTB Park Contact Jason Nichol jason@gibagorge.co.za, 083…